Down under
by viktriap
Summary: You can get to know people better in emergencies. Sam experiences this when he is stuck with John in a dangerous situation.
1. Default Chapter

AN: This is my first Profiler-fic, but I guess not the last one. I have quite a lot of ideas. I hope you will like it, however there might be some fault, because I haven't seen all the episodes. This takes place somewhere at the beginning of season three, but it isn't really important.  
  
Disclaimer: Of course I don't own anything, only the plot.  
  
Chapter I.  
  
It was another case in another town and to tell the truth, Sam Walters was absolutely fed up. She wanted to be at home with her little daughter away from murders and dead people. However knowing Bailey it wasn't likely to happen too soon.  
  
They were after an ex-soldier, namely Frank Delany. He has killed six men so far, with precise shots in the head. Delany started his murderous spree after he was kicked out of the army because of his psychological instability. The VCTF team could identify him as their main subject only yesterday, but when they wanted to arrest him a few hours ago, he escaped.  
  
Now the members of the team gathered in the café of their hotel. Sam tried to enjoy the few minutes of free time they had, drinking a strong coffee. Bailey was talking on his phone, surely with the local police who tried to detect Delany. Nathan was sitting at the opposite side of the room with closed eyes – he could use every single minute for sleeping and after that he was fresh as if he were sleeping a full night. John sat at the neighbour table working on a report. It was quite a hopeless try because the table was too short and the chair too uncomfortable. But he still seemed determined to finish it. It must be about the failed raid that morning, when Delany escaped. It wasn't John's fault, rather the local police, but that doesn't change his attitude towards it: he was angry and disappointed with himself.  
  
In the last almost-two-years Sam got to know his colleagues (of course Bailey she had known before, but the others) but John was still a mystery for her. When they first met, she quickly formed an opinion: an arrogant, hot-headed macho. But after a while she found that this wasn't true – yes sometimes he behaved himself like the tough cop, but he had a lot of values. First of all he was a good cop, secondly he was a loyal friend, he had a good sense of humour and he was definitely charming. Sam could imagine that women were mad about him, even if she could never have such feelings towards him. Not to mention that he was too young to her. Sam usually could characterize people well and quickly – this was her job after all. But with John she had a feeling that there was more than they could see. As if that carefree and funny face were only a mask. There were times when John became quiet and reserved, closed in – especially when the others were talking about family. Sam recognized after a while that however they talked a lot, she knew almost nothing about John Grant.  
  
Her eyes wondered over to Bailey who was gesticulating intensely during his phone-call, as always. She smiled to herself: this was one thing he liked in the man who she started to think about as her best friend. He was passionate about everything and especially about work. He must be like this in his love-life as well. _Why am I thinking such things?  
_  
In that moment Bailey finished speaking and with long strides walked back to the others.  
  
"They found him" he announced.  
  
John put down the pen, Nathan immediately open his eyes, and Sam asked:  
  
"Where?"  
  
"In a tunnel of the Underground. It isn't used at the moment, and a police officer saw somebody go under, he found it suspicious and went after him. Since that they lost contact with the sergeant but fortunately he reported his position before he went down. I told them to wait for us."  
  
As their boss was explaining the situation they were already walking out of the building and to their car.  
  
"They closed the area, there's no way he can disappear this time."  
  
---------------------------  
  
In twenty minutes they were on location. The locals were already there but after the morning-fiasco Bailey insisted on taking over the hunt. In a moment he was already covering over the map of the tunnel-system. John was collecting some supply like bullet-proof vents, torches and walkie-talkies.  
  
"There are only two exits. This one and one at the western end of the tunnel" started Bailey his briefing. We will go down here, the locals take the other end. They close it down and a troop goes under. The tunnel branches off but meets again after three kilometres. John you will take the left side with Lieutenant Hitchcock, Nathan and me take the right side."  
  
"What about me?" asked Sam suddenly. She didn't know what obsessed her asking this. She didn't use to take part in actions like this. Her job was profiling after all. But to tell the truth she had been fed up with her role for a while and today she felt even more the need to really do something.  
  
"What about you?" echoed Bailey with surprise.  
  
"I'm a trained FBI agent. I've just went through the yearly tests." And that was true, she passed all the tests and with not bad result. She was as suitable for the task as the lieutenant.  
  
Nathan and John changed confused glances and looked from her to Bailey and back. They were staring each-other down and she decided that she would be more stubborn this time than Bailey. It wasn't an easy task but she wasn't an easy woman either.  
  
After a few minutes Bailey sighed.  
  
"Can we talk in private for a moment?" he asked and started to walk away. Sam followed him without hesitation. They sopped a fey metres away.  
  
"Do you mean this seriously?" Malone asked. "Absolutely."  
  
"This isn't your job, Sam."  
  
"Why not? I'm an equal member of the VCTF team, aren't I?"  
  
"Of course you are, but..."  
  
"Then what are we arguing about? We don't have time for this."  
  
"You are right, we don't have time for this." He shrugged, but he didn't looked convinced. "You go with John then but be careful and let him lead."  
  
"Of course." She answered obediently.  
  
They quickly walked back to the others.  
  
"Sorry Lt. Hitchkock. Agent Waters will come. Sam is with you John. Watch out because there are a lot of assembly-shafts and storing rooms where he can hide."  
  
In a few minutes they were standing at the entrance and Sam was thinking about whether she had gone mad. This really wasn't her job but she would be damn if she showed any weakness. She could handle a situation like this, she has been after serial-killers her whole carrier.  
  
The tunnel was dark, very dark. She felt the adrenaline boil in her blood- vessels. _All right Walters, your choice!  
_  
She followed Nathan in. John and Bailey were already standing inside.  
  
"We try to stay in contact but the system might not work down under. Be careful!" Malone told in farewell and the two agents vanished in the right side. John waved her and they started they way. ----------------------  
  
After a few metres Sam started to relax, it was maybe because John looked so confident. There were pipes and wires running on the walls and on the ceiling, and it wasn't that dark – there were some light spots on the wall and John had a torch as well.  
  
They didn't talk of course, because they didn't want to alert their suspect. Time to time John whispered in his radio, but except that they walked in absolute silence.  
  
And then suddenly there was a deep and loud roaring. Sam thought it sounded as if a train were riding under them, but it couldn't be... and then the world exploded around them...  
  
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	2. Chapter II

Author's Note: Thank you all for the reviews, as you see they inspired me to write much quicker. I'd like to warn everybody - this definitely won't be a Sam-John story - I have other plans... and another thing: I'm sorry. Actually I don't really like cliffhangers, but I guess they just happen sometimes. So, sorry again...

And now up to the story.

Chapter II.  
  
Everything went dark, the rumbling continued and Sam found herself lying on the ground and she felt debris falling on her back and head which she tried to protect with her arms. _It's an earthquake...it has to be..._ She has never experienced one that's why she needed some time to recognize the cause of the chaos.  
  
Sam didn't even notice when it was over only when she felt a hand on her shoulders.  
  
"Are you O.K?"  
  
She blinked. John was bending over her and his voice sounded distant. It must be because her ears got choked up.  
  
"Yes...I guess. Only scared to death. You?  
  
She started to struggle to the feet.  
  
"Same here."  
  
John had a bruise on his temple but except that he looked safe and sound.  
  
"We should go back I assume, there might be further quakes. It isn't healthy being underground" he smiled.  
  
"Yeah. Don't you want to ask Bailey first?"  
  
"I tried. We don't have a signal."  
  
There was a serial-killer in the tunnels, but there was no way for him to leave: all the exits were closed. They can come back later when there's no more danger. John was right, Bailey would tell the same, probably he and Nathan are on their way out, as well. Sam didn't want to think about it whether they had got away this unscathed.  
  
"Right. Let's go!"  
  
They made their way through the debris and torn down pipes. The lights all went out, they only had the light of their torch now.  
  
It couldn't be more then five minutes when she heard something from the direction they were coming. Somebody was moving behind them. She turned, simultaneously with John. In the dim light of the torch she glimpsed a dark shadow further in the tunnel. She caught her gun immediately.  
  
And then everything happened too fast. She cried out a warning and heard a bang... she even felt the wind of the bullet. She fired her gun but missed Delany by miles. She knew that John was at the wrong angle, he couldn't target the suspect properly. And in her traitorous mind the words of Grace came back: at the previous murders Delany used special prepared, home-made bullets that were much stronger than the common ones, they probably couldn't be stopped by the bullet-proof jacket...  
  
She heard another shot and thought about Chloe ... then she was knocked down to the ground and John was kneeling in front of him firing towards Delany...  
  
In the same moment, the second quake shook the building and the agents.  
  
-----------------------  
  
The second earthquake was stronger, longer and more terrifying than the first one. Sam couldn't do anything else just lying on the ground, and hunch herself up into a small ball. She didn't know where John was, or where Delany was, by the way. She lost all her senses and didn't know how long the rumbling lasted.  
  
When it finally ended, the silence was deafening for a moment. Then she heard John's order.  
  
"Stay down!"  
  
He might have shouted but it sounded for Sam as if he were miles away. She obeyed of course, but she still raised her head so that she at least could see what was happening. Even if she had wanted to stand up it would have taken some time because she was covered with debris.  
  
John was moving in the direction from where the shots had come before. He was carefully sneaking in a crouched position next to the wall – even if it didn't provide much safety, his gun ready.  
  
Sam held her breath, she was waiting for the sound of the gunshots... but there was nothing. It was totally dark now, because John turned out the torch as well – or it broke... but all the same. She still could see that after a while his partner bent down and studied something.  
  
"It's all right" he said over his shoulder. "He's out."  
  
Sam pushed a piece of metal off of her legs and stood up. Only then did she notice that her hands were trembling – or rather her whole body was slightly trembling and she realized that she was coming down from an adrenaline-high. She could have died... she was damn near to it...  
  
She walked over to John, who was still crouching next to – as Sam now recognized – Delany's unconscious body.  
  
"Is he dead?"  
  
John shook his head. "He has a pulse. But he has a quite ugly head-injury. However I am not the doctor here..."  
  
He had already put the man in handcuffs, and was straightening up.  
  
"I've told you already, I'm not a physician" she said with a smile.  
  
"How bad..."  
  
"And why is that?" she looked up surprised, just in time to see him swaying and grabbing to the wall for support.  
  
"Because I could need one."  
  
And then he collapsed.

-------------------------------


	3. Chapter III

Author's note: So, here comes the next chapter. I'm not that satisfied with it but that's all I could produce. I'm open to criticism. By the way, is there anybody who would like to beta-read for me? I'd be grateful for it, and I think it would do good to the story.

To answer some questions: this won't be a long story, if everything goes right one more chapter, but I plan this as a series, as I have other stories in mind.

Read and enjoy! And please review! Thank you all!

Chapter III.  
  
Sam rushed to his partner's side immediately, however she didn't know what could be wrong. John was on his knees and he blindly groped for the velcro of his vent.  
  
„Let me help you" she offered. He didn't resist, and she quickly opened the band. She felt something wet... „Oh, God...why didn't you tell you were shot?"  
  
„Now I tell."  
  
„Nice."  
  
„I don't think it's too bad..."  
  
„Of course, you would say this even if you were already dead... I'd rather see it for myself."  
  
He smiled at her innocently, and struggled to the feet.  
  
„Could you stop just for a minute?"  
  
The wound was at the right side of his torso, at the bottom of the ribs. Sam pulled up John's shirt, there wasn't that much blood at all, but the skin around the small hole was red and already swollen.  
  
„I think it went through" told John, so Sam examined further. „Shit..." escaped her mouth instictively. Contrary to the entrance wound, there was a lot of blood on his back, and the edges of the wound were badly torn.  
  
„So, you don't like my back" commented John.  
  
„Not at all. It looks terrible John, you have to be taken to hospital as soon as possible."  
  
„I don't think it'll be that easy..."  
  
„What do you mean?"  
  
He just nodded at something, behind her back. For a moment she was confused, but when she turned, her heart stopped for a minute... where there had been the tunnel before, there was a massive wall of concrete and rubble now.  
  
She felt her mouth open, wanted to telll something, but it would have been another swearing so she let it.  
  
„We have to go in the other direction" she concluded after a short while.  
  
„I guess you're right."  
  
John pulled back his shirt and straightened, he looked ready to go.  
  
„How long is it?"  
  
„About four kilometres. But what about him?" he waved at Delany's body.  
  
Sam shrugged. She really had no idea, they couldn't drag him with, not with John already injured.  
  
„I suppose we have to leave him here. When we are out we can send a group back for him."  
  
„All right."  
  
John was already in action, walking to Delany's body. Sam followed him. John checked the murderer, then opened the handcuffs and looked around. There was an area where the walls seemed relatively intact. John stepped over and tugged one of the pipes. Then grabbed Delany's arm and pulled him to the wall not caring about being gentle. He put back the handcuffs, securing one end to the pipe.  
  
When he was ready he wheezed a little bit. "Take his gun." He told Sam, who obeyed. „And now let's go out of here."  
  
Sam examined him with a concerned look, but knew that they had no other choice. She picked up the torch that John dropped to the ground and turned it on, and they settled off.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
„Thank you."  
  
„Pardon?"  
  
They were walking for a while in silence when Sam spoke the words.  
  
„Saving my life, I mean."  
  
„Oh, it wasn't intentional."  
  
„So, you didn't want to save my life, at all?" asked she playfully.  
  
„No...yes...I mean, it was just instinct, but I'm happy you're O.K."  
  
"What's your wound doing?"  
  
"Hurting." He answered simply but smiled a little.  
  
Sam had to think about what would happen if the other end of the tunnel is closed as well.  
  
_Don't be stupid, Samantha! Just be positive!_ She warned herself immediately. But still, she didn't know how long John will be able to stay on his feet.  
  
"It's strange." Sam remarked, because she felt the silence nerving.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Before we left the hotel, I had been thinking about you."  
  
John raised an eyebrow questioningly. They were walking slowlier now. John didn't say anything, but Sam saw how badly he limped and he was in a sweat.  
  
"I realized that in comparison to the other members of the team I know almost nothing about you."  
  
"There's really not much to know..."  
  
"Somehow I doubt it. For example, you never talk about your family."  
  
John frowned.  
  
"I suggest we find a more interesting topic."  
  
"You are from Boston, right?"  
  
"Yes." His expression told that this wasn't a wanted topic, either.  
  
"It's a beatiful city, isn't it?"  
  
"If you say so."  
  
"So you didn't like living there?"  
  
John sighed, but apparently he was too tired to argue further.  
  
"There was nothing wrong with the city. Only with the company..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You know Sam, you aren't pushy at all!" he commented sarcastically. "But all right! My father was...is deeply involved in organized crime. He is the biggest loanshark of the east coast, and he is in the highest ranks of the Irish mob. He isn't exactly the father a son can be proud of..."  
  
"That's why you joined the law enforcement?"  
  
John shrugged but it must have been painful because he frowned again.  
  
"Maybe. He would be mad about it, I'm sure, but I don't think he knows... I changed my name you know..."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Not many people know about it. When I decided to join the police I thought it would be better to have a not so ill-famed name."  
  
They walked in silence for a few minutes, then Sam asked.  
  
"The radio?"  
  
John looked at the gadget.  
  
"Still nothing..."  
  
His voice was hoarse now and only a whisper. He was breathing heavily and seemed being paler every second.  
  
„Are you O.K?"  
  
„Yeah" but he didn't look that way. Sam had the impression that he could hardly stand not to mention walk further.  
  
"I think you should sit down for a moment." She suggested in a concerned tone. To her surprise John didn't really argue.  
  
„Maybe..." and he rather collapsed than sat. There was definetely too much blood on his shirt now.  
  
Sam sat down next to him.  
  
„You know you don't have to play the tough guy all the time...you can tell me if you can't go on."  
  
„Old habits don't change" he answered with a tired smile. „And what do we do then? Sit here and wait for the rescue?"  
  
„I'm sure they had already found out that we are stuck here."  
  
„Maybe...you're right...it's just..." then he trailed of.  
  
„What?"  
  
„Nothing."  
  
Sam recognized when somebody closed the door. She was a psychologist for all means.  
  
„It didn't sound like nothing to me."  
  
"We are not in a session, are we? I don't see a couch anywhere..."  
  
He leant his back against the wall and closed his eyes. Sam didn't want to panick, but she knew that John was losing too much blood. He was pale as ashes and if he passes out...  
  
"You know Sam, Bailey...he likes you a lot..." the words startled her out of her worries.  
  
"What?"  
  
First she didn't understand what he meant.  
  
"Maybe I'm not the most sensitive person...but I'm not blind...  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I guess you could call it love..."  
  
"Are you serious?" Sam was stunned. Not as if she had never thought about Bailey as a... possible partner – on the contrary. But this was absurd: they were stuck underground, John was shot and then he plays the marriage bureau?  
  
"I don't think he'll be mad at me... looking at the circumstances..." as if he hadn't even heard her question.

He trailed off again, and let Sam think about his comments alone.

----------------------------

"John?"  
  
About ten minutes went by since he made John sit down. The young agent was quiet now, and Sam didn't want to bother him with questions, but it was time to consider the next step.  
  
"Hmm.."  
  
"Do you think you would be able to stand up?"  
  
"'course..." but he didn't even open his eyes.  
  
Sam waited a few moments, then asked again.  
  
"John?"  
  
"I lied" this time he at least he looked at her. "I think you should go alone."  
  
"I don't think it would be a good idea to let you alone."  
  
John seemed to collect some strength because his expression became more lively.  
  
"The only way you can help me is, if you make sure somebody takes me out of here. I hate to admit, but I don't think I will be able to go out on my own..."  
  
Sam thought about it for a moment. Yes, of course John was right: she couldn't do anything for him, but somehow she had a bad feeling about leaving him alone. As if she could keep him alive just staying there.  
  
"I won't die, Sam" John told quietly as if he could read her thoughts. "My father told me once I would die alone and in the darkness. I wouldn't satisfy him this way..."  
  
"O.K. Give me the radio. It might work when I'm closer to the surface."  
  
"Be careful. And take the torch, as well."  
  
Sam hesitated for a moment. "You shouldn't stay here in the darkness."  
  
"Do you think it counts?"  
  
"But you hold on, right?" She had to admit that she would need the light more than John.  
  
"I promise."  
  
She threw a last concerned look at his partner, then turned and started off into the darkness.  
  
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	4. Chapter IV

Author's Note: I know I was slow, and I'm sorry, but as my favourite fanfic-author (her name is Robin by the way, and if you want to read a really good Harry Potter fanfic then look for Death before dishonor and Promises unbroken - this was the place of advertisment, by the way) used to say real life sometimes intervenes. I had to work a lot and I'm on to buy a flat - and there were the Olympic Games of course, where Hungary won 8 gold medals (and let's not talk about the scandal of the athletes). Hurra for the water-polo team who won today!!!!!

But I know, you aren't interested in my ramblings, so here's the fourth chapter! But first let me thank all those people who reviewed. My thanks are endless and you inspire me a lot!

Read and enjoy!

Chapter IV.

Sam walked as fast as she could and during the whole time she was continuously worrying about John.

She checked her wrist-watch in every second moment and the radio every third. The surrounding, the dark tunnel, the debris everywhere – it was absolutely depressing. It wasn't surprising that she had only negative thoughts. She could even imagine that there was nobody out there and that's why she couldn't get in touch with her colleagues. She could only guess how much damage the earth-quake caused outside!

Suddenly there was a crackling sound at her side. She immediately grabbed for the radio.

"...is there anybody? Please, ...report..."

It was Bailey's voice. He sounded distant, and Sam could understand only every second word, but still it was like music to her ears.

"Bailey... Shit!" She wanted to be quick but in the hurry she forgot to push the right button. After she had done it, she started again. "Bailey, it's Sam here."

"Sam! Thanks god! Are you O.K?"

"Yes, I am" involuntary John's words came to her mind. _You could call it love, I guess. Could he be right about it? _But this wasn't the moment to think about things like this. "But we need paramedics here. John is injured... and Delany."

"You found him?" and then more worriedly. "Is John all right?"

"Yes and I don't know. It doesn't look that good and I had to leave him alone for a while, but I'm going back. We are about half-way in the tunnel. Please, hurry!"

"We're on the way! Over!"

Sam switched off the radio and headed back in the direction she had come from. She wanted to be at John's side as soon as possible. Yes, she wasn't a doctor but she still could recognize a serious injury and the signs of shock. John was losing a lot of blood, definitely too much and this can be extremely dangerous even if the bullet missed every inner organ.

Sam didn't recognize her surrounding but she had to be close by now. In the darkness she could see only a few meters away, and suddenly she glimpsed the place where she had left John. The young agent was still there, but he wasn't alone anymore.

_Oh, bloody hell! _Sam immediately stopped and grabbed his gun.

The second figure was Delany. How could he stand there, was beyond Sam's knowledge. He looked almost dead when they had left him behind and John handcuffed him properly! All the same, the murderer was here now and towered over John holding a gun at his face... apparently it was John's own gun. The injured agent didn't move and in the darkness Sam couldn't see him properly. He might be dead as well...

Fortunately Delany was occupied with John, so he failed to notice Sam.

Sam thought, it's better if she goes closer. She wasn't the best of shooters and in this darkness she could easily miss her target, which could be fatal. She moved as quietly and as quickly as she could.

The next moment – as if on impulse – Delany turned his head and glimpsed Sam. He didn't hesitate, but immediately fired in her direction. Ever so good marksman he was this time the gods were on Sam's side. The bullet flew over her head.

In the same moment John, who was out of line of fire, acted. He dove himself forward at the murderer and the attack clearly surprised Delany. He fell backwards connecting the wall of the tunnel and most importantly it made him drop his gun.

The two men wrestled on the ground and Sam had the impression that Delany couldn't be in the best shape after his injury, because John, as weakened as he was, was at advantage at the moment.

Sam tried to target Delany but unfortunately John was in the way all the time. So, she hurried forward but she could only stand there and stare at the fighting men. She didn't dare to intervene, she was afraid of making things only worse for his partner.

John managed to pin Delany to the ground for a moment but then the criminal could free his left hand and punched in his opponent face. John rolled down of Delany's body and Sam could steal a glance at his left side that was soaked in blood. The next moment Delany was on top of John but Sam went into action as well and soon the murderer could feel the barrel of a gun at the back of his head.

„Stand up!" To Sam's surprise her voice didn't waver at all.

Delany froze – he apparently forgot that there was another agent – then stood up and raised his hands.

"Step back!" She didn't take her eyes off of the suspect's back as she asked. "John?"

"I'm fine..." he answered hoarsely but he was still lying on the ground and showed no signs of trying to stand or at least sit up.

They looked almost like some kind of modern art composition. None of them moved for what seemed to be a lifetime. Sam didn't have spare-handcuffs so she had no other option then keep Delany in check and wait for Bailey to arrive.

It couldn't be more than five minutes that went by, but Sam felt as if it was hours. The only sound was John's wheezing that seemed to clog time to time and it made Sam worry more and more.

Maybe she concentrated too hard on John, maybe she wasn't versed enough in a situation like this, or maybe Delany was too quick, but all of a sudden she was pressed to the wall and a steel grip tightened around her wrist so hard that she dropped her gun almost immediately.

She held back a scream and tried to free herself but after a moment realized that she had no chance. Delany was too strong for that and soon his hands found the way to her throat. She choked and the darkness threatened the edge of his eyesight.

When she heard the banging noise at first she thought it was only the unreality of her oxygen-deprived mind, but the clench on her neck loosened. She opened her eyes and looked in the empty eyes of Delany and in the next moment the man collapsed on the floor.

John was kneeling and he had the gun that Delany had dropped a few minutes earlier. His skin was almost grey and his eyes sunken deep.

"John..." Her voice was hoarse from worry and from strangling.

His head dropped off to his chest and his body slowly and helplessly fell to the ground.

Sam rushed to his side and looked for a pulse. It was there but weakly. Took his head into her lap.

"Hold on... please, John. Help is on the way. Hold on just a little bit longer..." And she didn't stop talking to the unconscious agent as long as few minutes later he glimpsed the light of the torches at the end of the tunnel.

"Bailey!"

Bailey was sitting on one of the several orange plastic chairs in the waiting room of the hospital and he was dozing. When Sam called his name, he jerked awake immediately.

"Sam! You should rest at home, after everything that happened today!"

"I'm okay and I was at home. I just wanted to be sure that John is all right as well."

Of course Sam could have use a good sleep, she felt drained and almost every single part in her body ached. She had a quick check-up here in the hospital, but she had no serious injuries so she was released. She went home as soon as possible because she wanted nothing more than see and hug Chloe. After that had happened she took a long and hot shower, took a taxi and came back to the hospital.

"He's still at surgery."

"This long?" Sam asked worriedly.

Bailey just nodded. "But half an hour ago a nurse came out and assured me that he is stable. However the doctors have to repair some of his veins and they had some kind of problem with his kidney."

"Oh." There was not much to say.

She took place next to Bailey and for a few minutes they sat in silence.

"He saved my life, you know. Twice" said Sam quietly.

"And I will thank him for it."

Sam looked at Bailey inquiringly. There was something strange in his voice. _Was this the right moment to ask? _But maybe there wasn't a right moment for a question like this.

"John told me something... and it concerns you..."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"And what was it about?"

"It is..." She sighed. What if John was wrong? She would sit here as a fool. _Uh, whatever! _"He told me that you have...you know... some feelings for me..."

Bailey seemed to be stunned and surprised and confused. And Sam already regretted that she had asked.

"So I guess he was wrong."

However she tried, she couldn't hide her disappointment. There was a long and awkward silence. At least Sam felt it awkward.

"No."

Sam's head jerked up at the sudden quiet word.

"No, what?"

"No, he wasn't wrong. I have feelings for you... I thought I hid them well."

"You mean...?"

"Yes. I think I might love you. I'm sorry. I understand that you don't want a relationship with a co-worker, but I swear I won't bother you with it. It won't influence anything, it hadn't so far and..."

"You are bubbling Bailey" Cut in Sam.

The man looked at her and the first time she could see his eyes. She has never seen this kind of almost-desperation on his face before.

"You don't have to be sorry. I like you too."

"What?"

"I said, I like you too. What do you think about a date."

Bailey with a slack jaw was one of the funniest things she has ever seen, and she couldn't contain herself: she broke out in a loose laugh.

AN 2: This was the last chapter of Down under, but I'm already working on the next story. I haven't forget my Charmed story either, it will be up soon, but I have a bit difficulties with one improtant scene. Thank you again for reading!


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